7 Tech stocks exploring blockchain technology

It’s getting harder to ignore the fact that blockchain is on the rise, particularly as more banks and financial institutions are adopting the technology faster than anticipated.

Case in point, IBM (NYSE:IBM) released a report in 2016 suggesting that 15 percent of all banks will be using the technology in 2017. By 2020, the firm states that 66 percent of all banks will have blockchain in commercial production.

On a broader scale, a Market and Markets report states that the blockchain technology market size will be worth 2.3 billion by 2021, increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61.5 percent. In other words, there’s room for plenty of opportunities for investors to benefit from in this exciting–and expanding–market.

Global Blockchain Technology Market’s research report is a little more conservative, projecting that blockchain technology will grow at a CAGR of 55.59 percent between 2017 and 2021.

The banking and finance industries aren’t the only ones adopting blockchain technology. For example, it has been used in securing elections, and big companies are also making the leap into blockchain; Capital One has confirmed a blockchain project, partnering with Gem on healthcare claims.

Putting it simply, there’s a wealth of opportunity to be had in the blockchain industry, and it’s only getting started. As such, here is a look at 7 publicly-listed blockchain technology stocks for your consideration.

1. BTCS (OTCQB:BTCS)
   Market cap: $9.02 million; current share price: $0.10

The first of our blockchain technology stocks is BTCS. The company is also the first blockchain-focused public company in the US, and was ahead of its time in exploring digital currency ecosystems. The company self-describes itself as an “early mover” in the digital currency ecosystems sector.

The company’s CEO, Charles Allen, was interviewed by Bloomberg explaining the company’s mission to “gather a currency that can be spent on goods and services”, using bitcoin to buy products like televisions.

1. BTL Group (TSXV:BTL)
   Market cap: $80.96 million; current share price: $4.32

BTL is a Vancouver-based company that offers blockchain solutions across multiple industries–from banks to energy, and even to fantasy sports. BTL has a money transfer platform using distributed-ledger-technology and smart contracts, called Interbit.

On that note, the company announced in June that it is “taking steps towards a go-to production phase” of the Interbit, having completed its European energy trading pilot. As noted in the press release, the 12-week pilot included building the framework on an energy trading confirmation solution to BTL’s platform, which was tested in 8 different scenarios.

“At BTL we truly believe that, by using blockchain technology and our proprietary platform, Interbit, there is a better and more efficient way for enterprises to build applications,” Guy Halford-Thompson, cofounder and CEO of BTL said. “Having demonstrated the reductions in risk and cost savings that are achievable we now have an opportunity to deliver the first successful blockchain based application to the energy market. We are also very excited that the pilot has enabled participating companies to better understand the benefits of Interbit and identify other areas in their organizations where they can apply it.”

While the company’s headquarters are in Vancouver, BTL Group also operates in Calgary and Canary Wharf in London, England.

1. Coinsilium Group (ISDX:COIN)
   Market cap: GB$3.9 million; current share price: GB$3.50

Coinsilium Group is a London-based blockchain technology investor that develops and invests in blockchain technologies, aiding new fintech applications. The company is the world’s first recognized IPO for blockchain technology company and lists on the NEX Exchange, a recognized investment exchange as per the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

According to its website, Coinsilium is relatively new in the blockchain field: the company has been actively involved in “accelerating seed-stage blockchain tech ventures” ever since 2014.

At the beginning of August, the company announced that it had completed the sale of interest in SatoshiPay, a company that processes nanopayment transactions usually in the form of bitcoins.

1. DigitalX (ASX:DCC)
   Market cap: AU$7.42 million; current share price: AU$0.035

Next on our blockchain technology stocks list is DigitalX. The company develops fintech products and services using blockchain technology and a secure ledger system for the global digital payments industry, specifically in mobile bill payments and remittance.

More specifically, its mobile product AirPocket provides consumers secure cross-border payments and remittances from over 30,000 payout locations in 14 countries with a heavy presence in North America and South America.

1. First Bitcoin Capital (OTCMKTS:BITCF)
   Market cap: $138.96 million; current share price: $0.66

First Bitcoin Capital, fifth on our blockchain technology stocks list, bills itself as the first vertically integrated consolidator in the bitcoin and crypto-currency arena. The company is focused on the acquisition of bitcoin startups and funding companies developing bitcoin software and hardware.

Although bitcoin is blockchain’s favourite child, blockchain is no longer living vicariously through it. Although blockchain is most understood as the backbone of bitcoin, it is now standing tall in different spheres of applications.

With that in mind, the company is working on a number of projects, including: CoinQX, Bitessentials, BitClassTravel, Bitcoin.cc & Bitcoin ATM.

On August 2, the company announced that it will be the first company to pay dividends to its shareholders via cryptocurrencies.

1. Global Arena Holding (OTCMKTS:GAHC)
   Market cap: $7.81 million; current share price: $0.02

Global Arena Holding acquires companies and patents that use the blockchain crypto technology. They invested in Blockchain Technologies Corporation, a startup accelerator who have developed a patent pending voting technology.

They are also working on applying blockchain technology to ATMs. Smart contracts can be used in wills, eliminating the need for estate executors, triggering a chain of events starting with verifying the death and subsequent asset distribution. CEO John Matthews claims “the Blockchain will evolve to be as crucial as the Internet itself and many time more valuable.”

1. HashingSpace (OTCMKTS:HSHS)
   Market cap: $1.5 million; current share price: $0.009

Rounding out the blockchain technology stocks list is HashingSpace–a company that is undergoing restructuring, the new management stated that it is going to focus on providing the tools needed to develop future blockchain technologies.